thinking immediately. No way. Sebastian would gloat and lord it over him the entire trip.
“Sir, here’s your room key. You’ll be on the eighth deck...”
“What? No. That’s not right. I should be on the third”
Sebastian’s hand touched his elbow. “No, it’s right. I called and had us upgraded to something a little more appropriate.”
Duncan would not make a scene in public. But it was his trip. Sebastian should have asked first. He pushed down his anger at the unexpected change. He would remind Sebastian that he was just along for the ride in the privacy of their own room.
Sebastian grabbed the keycards. “Come on. Let’s go make sure these work and get unpacked.”
Without any other options, Duncan followed Sebastian to the elevators, where they stood with a group of others waiting to go up. The crazy colors of the carpet and walls, dangling art pieces and enormous chandeliers nearly made Duncan dizzy.
“Yuck. I’ve never been on a cruise ship before. Are they all this gaudy?”
“Yeah. Pretty much. Except for private luxury cruises, of course. There are thousands of people on this ship and lots of drinking will be done. The ugly carpet helps hide the stains, if you know what I mean.”
He looked down the main section of the ship, which was designed to look like a cute little downtown street.
“Hmm. It’s pretty nice, I guess.”
“Sure is,” Sebastian agreed. “Cruises are a blast. We’re going to have a great time together.”
Together. The word sent shivers through Duncan’s body. If he let himself take what he wanted, they would surely have a great time together. But would it just be one time? The entire cruise? Forever? Or just until his parents found out and then Sebastian would skip away, laughing, and leave Duncan to clean up the mess?
His hand pressed against Duncan’s elbow again, guiding him into the elevator. Duncan wanted to enjoy the friendly, almost intimate touch, but could only imagine what his parents would think if they saw.
He shook the hand away and reminded himself not to trust any niceness from Sebastian.
He didn’t even know exactly when to expect his parents. Still, he nervously glanced at his watch.
“Shit. I left my watch at home.”
“I’ll buy you a new one.”
“No gifts,” Duncan said automatically. “That’s too gay.”
Sebastian frowned. “I’m just trying to help. Whatever. No gifts. You’re not gay. I get it.”
The words cut into Duncan. He felt like a fraud. He would hold firm, though. He would not be outed on this trip.
After the trip, he would find a way to end the nonsense, though. He owed himself that much. Come hell or high water, he would end his secrecy after the trip.
He allowed himself to appreciate one small miracle. If they were in the expensive room that Sebastian had surely reserved, his family would be nowhere nearby. A tiny miracle, at least.
Sebastian swiped one key at their door. The light turned green. Sebastian opened and closed the door and handed Duncan the key. He then swiped the other. Another green light. As he pushed open the door, he said, “There. That’s my one responsible act for the trip. I’ll be in party mode the rest of the time.”
Duncan wondered what his parents would make of Sebastian in party mode. Even if they weren’t dating, it wouldn’t reflect well on him in their eyes.
This is a bad idea. I should have stayed home.
“Hey, man,” Duncan said as soon as the door shut. “No more touching my elbow. No gay shit. Remember?”
Sebastian cocked his head, “Is that a gay thing?”
Duncan nodded with a scowl on his face. Sebastian had to know that. It had to just be another way he could torment Duncan.
“Right. I guess I can see that. Sorry about that. No more touching. Right? No touching at all?”
“For the most part. But for this trip, let’s keep it simple. No touching.”
Sebastian gave Duncan a thumbs-up and dropped his suitcase onto the bed.
Duncan finally took the
“Sir, here’s your room key. You’ll be on the eighth deck...”
“What? No. That’s not right. I should be on the third”
Sebastian’s hand touched his elbow. “No, it’s right. I called and had us upgraded to something a little more appropriate.”
Duncan would not make a scene in public. But it was his trip. Sebastian should have asked first. He pushed down his anger at the unexpected change. He would remind Sebastian that he was just along for the ride in the privacy of their own room.
Sebastian grabbed the keycards. “Come on. Let’s go make sure these work and get unpacked.”
Without any other options, Duncan followed Sebastian to the elevators, where they stood with a group of others waiting to go up. The crazy colors of the carpet and walls, dangling art pieces and enormous chandeliers nearly made Duncan dizzy.
“Yuck. I’ve never been on a cruise ship before. Are they all this gaudy?”
“Yeah. Pretty much. Except for private luxury cruises, of course. There are thousands of people on this ship and lots of drinking will be done. The ugly carpet helps hide the stains, if you know what I mean.”
He looked down the main section of the ship, which was designed to look like a cute little downtown street.
“Hmm. It’s pretty nice, I guess.”
“Sure is,” Sebastian agreed. “Cruises are a blast. We’re going to have a great time together.”
Together. The word sent shivers through Duncan’s body. If he let himself take what he wanted, they would surely have a great time together. But would it just be one time? The entire cruise? Forever? Or just until his parents found out and then Sebastian would skip away, laughing, and leave Duncan to clean up the mess?
His hand pressed against Duncan’s elbow again, guiding him into the elevator. Duncan wanted to enjoy the friendly, almost intimate touch, but could only imagine what his parents would think if they saw.
He shook the hand away and reminded himself not to trust any niceness from Sebastian.
He didn’t even know exactly when to expect his parents. Still, he nervously glanced at his watch.
“Shit. I left my watch at home.”
“I’ll buy you a new one.”
“No gifts,” Duncan said automatically. “That’s too gay.”
Sebastian frowned. “I’m just trying to help. Whatever. No gifts. You’re not gay. I get it.”
The words cut into Duncan. He felt like a fraud. He would hold firm, though. He would not be outed on this trip.
After the trip, he would find a way to end the nonsense, though. He owed himself that much. Come hell or high water, he would end his secrecy after the trip.
He allowed himself to appreciate one small miracle. If they were in the expensive room that Sebastian had surely reserved, his family would be nowhere nearby. A tiny miracle, at least.
Sebastian swiped one key at their door. The light turned green. Sebastian opened and closed the door and handed Duncan the key. He then swiped the other. Another green light. As he pushed open the door, he said, “There. That’s my one responsible act for the trip. I’ll be in party mode the rest of the time.”
Duncan wondered what his parents would make of Sebastian in party mode. Even if they weren’t dating, it wouldn’t reflect well on him in their eyes.
This is a bad idea. I should have stayed home.
“Hey, man,” Duncan said as soon as the door shut. “No more touching my elbow. No gay shit. Remember?”
Sebastian cocked his head, “Is that a gay thing?”
Duncan nodded with a scowl on his face. Sebastian had to know that. It had to just be another way he could torment Duncan.
“Right. I guess I can see that. Sorry about that. No more touching. Right? No touching at all?”
“For the most part. But for this trip, let’s keep it simple. No touching.”
Sebastian gave Duncan a thumbs-up and dropped his suitcase onto the bed.
Duncan finally took the
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